Sand catching means for railways



Feb. 23; 1932. I T. J. SKILLMAN 1,846,154

SAND CATCHING MEANS FOR RAILWAYS Filed March 21, 1931 WITNESSESINVENTOR:

KJZ W/ Tizozzzas JSJtz'ZZzzzazz,

W a. W %W A TTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED STATES PAITEVNTOFFICE,

THOMAS J. SKILLMAN, OF ARDMOBE, PENNSYLVANIA, H

m1) GATGHING mums roe amwaYs a Application filed March 21, 1931. SerialNo; 524,232.

This invention relates to means useful in connection with railways forcatching sand or the like employed to increase traction incident totrain starting.

The sand used for the stated purpose is ordinarily uncontrolled, i. e.,permitted to drop onto the rail flanges, the ties and the tie plates,and ultimately finds its way between the contacting surfaces of theseparts, thereby causing rapid abrasion and deterioration.

Excessive accumulation of the sand is objectionable since it renders thetracks unsightly, and particularly because it occurs at the railroadstations where the train stops are most 1 frequently made. Moreover,when wet, the sand often causes short circuiting ofthe rails withattendant interference in the electric operation of signal equipmentalong the railway. To extract the accumulated sand, it

has generally been the practice heretofore to periodically remove theballast from between the ties for screening, and after screening, toreplace it. Obviously, these operations are costly by reason of thelabor involved, and

therefore constitute a considerable item in the expense of roadmaintenance.

Considered in its broadest aspect, my invention is directed towardovercoming the above recited drawbacks; and this desiderata I securethrough the provision of relatively inexpensive means in associationwith the track rails whereby the sand is caught immediately as it dropsfrom the heads of the rails after having performed the function forwhich it was intended.

A further aim of my invention is to provide for the support of sandcatching means characterized as aforesaid, with capacity for readyremoval when access must be had to the rails to enable tamping andlining of the tracks.

One way in which the foregoing and other objects and correspondingadvantages may be readily realized in practice will be manifest from thedescription which follows in coordination with the attached drawings,wherein Fig. I shows a perspective view of a portion of a railway trackequipped withmy to improved sand catching means; and wherein Fig. IIshows a cross section of the organization. a With more detailedreference to these illustrations, the numeral 5 designates one of thetrack rails; the numeral 6, the ties; andthe co numeral 7, thetieplateswhereby the rails are secured in position on the ties,-theaforesaid parts being all standard both as regards design-"andarrangement 1 i i i a For the purpose of catchingthesand employed toincrease traction in starting of trains, I provide means inthe' form oftroughs 8 alon'gopposite sides of the track rail 5. These troughs arepreferably fashioned from sheet metal; and,as shown, are so proportioned cross-sectionally as to fit the side hollows of the rail betweenthe 'railhead 9 and thebase flange 10. a

The functionof holding the troughs 8 to the rail 5 with capacity forready removal when requiredto enable tamping and lining of the track, Ivest in spring supporting brackets 11 which, like the troughs, arefabricated from sheet metal. The brackets 11, it will be observed, areformed with foot por 7 tions 12 which rest on theties 6 whereto they aresecured byspikes or screw bolts 13; and with vertical arm portions 14that reach up from the ties, the said arm portions terminating at theirtops in clip-like ends 15 which so are adapted to engage rolled outeredge beads 16 of the troughs 8 as shownto the best advantage in Fig. II.

In practice the troughs are made to a length--say thirteen feet or onethird of the standard rail lengthwhich will permit of their beingreadily handled incident to application to, and removal from the rails;and in order to clear the joint bars 17 (Fig. I) connecting thecontiguous ends of the rail sections, the said troughs are cut away asshown at 18. I

Dislodgmeut of the troughs 8 is effected by withdrawing, i. e. springingback the brackets 11, with the aid of a crow bar or like tool, to detachtheir clip-like ends 15 from the trough beads 16; whereupon said troughsare simpl lifted away from the rails, the latter being thereby exposedfor the performance upon them of any operations such as thosehereinbefore mentioned.

The accumulatedsand may be recovered from time to time for re-use byshovelling the same out of the troughs; or it may be drawn out byemploying a suitable suction means orapparatus for the purpose, as maybe found expedient or desirable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination with a track-rail, of

troughs along opposite sides of the .rail to catch sand or the like,thereby to prevent it from falling onto the track ties or. the road bed;and means for supporting the trough with capacity for ready removal.

2. The combination with a track rail, of troughs fitting into thehollows along oppositeisides of the rail and adapted to catch sand orthe like, therebyto prevent it from falling onto the track ties or theroad bed; and means for holding the troughs to the rails with capacityfor ready removal. 3. The combination with a track rail, of troughsfitting intothe hollows along opposite sides of the rail andadapted'tozcatch sand. or the like, thereby to prevent it from falling onto theties or' the road bed, and spring supports to hold the troughsto therail with capacity for ready removal. -7

4. The combination with a track rail,* of

sheet metal troughs fitting into the hollows along opposite sides of therail and adapted to catch sand or the like, thereby to prevent it fromfalling onto'the track ties or the road bed; and spring clip bracketsreachingup fromtherail tiesand engaging beads on the troughs to hold thelatter to the rails with capacity for ready removaL,

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name atr Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this nineteenth day of March, 1931.

THOMAS J; SKILLMAN.

